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A certain stock exchange designates each stock with a 1, 2, or 3 letter code, where each letter is selected from the 26 letters of the alphabet. If the letters may be repeated and if the same letters used in a different order constitute a different code, how many different stocks is it possible to uniquely designate with these codes?

A certain stock exchange designates each stock with a 1, 2, or 3 letter code, where each letter is selected from the 26 letters of the alphabet. If the letters may be repeated and if the same letters used in a different order constitute a different code, how many different stocks is it possible to uniquely designate with these codes?

a) 2,951b) 8,125c) 15,600d) 16,302e) 18,278

Answer e.

if each letter is the same: 26 different combinations2 letters the same 26^2all different 26^3

A certain stock exchange designates each stock with a 1, 2, or 3 letter code, where each letter is selected from the 26 letters of the alphabet. If the letters may be repeated and if the same letters used in a different order constitute a different code, how many different stocks is it possible to uniquely designate with these codes?

a) 2,951b) 8,125c) 15,600d) 16,302e) 18,278

1 letter codes = 262 letter codes = 26^23 letter codes = 26^3

Total = 26 + 26^2 + 26^3

The problem we are faced now is how to get the answer quickly. Note that the units digit of 26+26^2+26^3 would be (6+6+6=18) 8. Only one answer choice has 8 as unit digit: E (18,278). So I believe, even not calculating 26+26^2+26^3, that answer is E. _________________

The problem we are faced now is how to get the answer quickly. Note that the units digit of 26+26^2+26^3 would be (6+6+6=18) 8. Only one answer choice has 8 as unit digit: E (18,278). So I believe, even not calculating 26+26^2+26^3, that answer is E.

The OA is E. Thanks for poininting out how to spot the correct answer - it took me miserable 4 minutes to multiply 26*26*26 and still I made a wrong calculation

A certain stock exchange designates each stock with a 1, 2, or 3 letter code, where each letter is selected from the 26 letters of the alphabet. If the letters may be repeated and if the same letters used in a different order constitute a different code, how many different stocks is it possible to uniquely designate with these codes?

a) 2,951b) 8,125c) 15,600d) 16,302e) 18,278

1 letter code=262 letter code=26^23 letter code=26^3

Total=26+26^2+26^3

The problem we are faced now is how to get the answer quickly. Note that the units digit of 26+26^2+26^3 would be (6+6+6=18) 8. Only one answer choice has 8 as unit digit: E (18,278). So I believe, even not calculating 26+26^2+26^3, that answer is E.

Hi Bunuel,

Firstly let me say that i fully understand your explanation and it makes perfect sense. I am however, finding it difficult to understand why we can't plug in the numbers into the permutations formula i.e. 26+Pm26,2 + Pm26,3 =16,276 which is well short of the 18,278 answer. I'm just wondering when to apply the approach you mentioned above and when to apply the Permutations formula.

A certain stock exchange designates each stock with a 1, 2, or 3 letter code, where each letter is selected from the 26 letters of the alphabet. If the letters may be repeated and if the same letters used in a different order constitute a different code, how many different stocks is it possible to uniquely designate with these codes?

a) 2,951b) 8,125c) 15,600d) 16,302e) 18,278

1 letter code=262 letter code=26^23 letter code=26^3

Total=26+26^2+26^3

The problem we are faced now is how to get the answer quickly. Note that the units digit of 26+26^2+26^3 would be (6+6+6=18) 8. Only one answer choice has 8 as unit digit: E (18,278). So I believe, even not calculating 26+26^2+26^3, that answer is E.

Hi Bunuel,

Firstly let me say that i fully understand your explanation and it makes perfect sense. I am however, finding it difficult to understand why we can't plug in the numbers into the permutations formula i.e. 26+Pm26,2 + Pm26,3 =16,276 which is well short of the 18,278 answer. I'm just wondering when to apply the approach you mentioned above and when to apply the Permutations formula.

Thanks!

Good question. +1.

Notice that we are told that the letters may be repeated, so AA, BBB, ACC, CAA, .... codes are possible.

Now, 26P2 is the number of ways we can choose 2 distinct letters out of 26 when the order matters, thus it doesn't account for the cases like AA, AAA, ABB, ...

A certain stock exchange designates each stock with a 1, 2, or 3 letter code, where each letter is selected from the 26 letters of the alphabet. If the letters may be repeated and if the same letters used in a different order constitute a different code, how many different stocks is it possible to uniquely designate with these codes?

a) 2,951b) 8,125c) 15,600d) 16,302e) 18,278

Answer e.

if each letter is the same: 26 different combinations2 letters the same 26^2all different 26^3

26^3 + 26^2 + 26 = 18278

what does this statement exactly mean-"if the same letters used in a different order constitute a different code"_________________

A certain stock exchange designates each stock with a 1, 2, or 3 letter code, where each letter is selected from the 26 letters of the alphabet. If the letters may be repeated and if the same letters used in a different order constitute a different code, how many different stocks is it possible to uniquely designate with these codes?

a) 2,951b) 8,125c) 15,600d) 16,302e) 18,278

Answer e.

if each letter is the same: 26 different combinations2 letters the same 26^2all different 26^3

26^3 + 26^2 + 26 = 18278

what does this statement exactly mean-"if the same letters used in a different order constitute a different code"

It means that the order of the letters matters. For example, code AB is different from BA.

A certain stock exchange designates each stock with a 1, 2, or 3 letter code, where each letter is selected from the 26 letters of the alphabet. If the letters may be repeated and if the same letters used in a different order constitute a different code, how many different stocks is it possible to uniquely designate with these codes?

a) 2,951b) 8,125c) 15,600d) 16,302e) 18,278

1 letter code=262 letter code=26^23 letter code=26^3

Total=26+26^2+26^3

The problem we are faced now is how to get the answer quickly. Note that the units digit of 26+26^2+26^3 would be (6+6+6=18) 8. Only one answer choice has 8 as unit digit: E (18,278). So I believe, even not calculating 26+26^2+26^3, that answer is E.

Hi Bunuel,

Firstly let me say that i fully understand your explanation and it makes perfect sense. I am however, finding it difficult to understand why we can't plug in the numbers into the permutations formula i.e. 26+Pm26,2 + Pm26,3 =16,276 which is well short of the 18,278 answer. I'm just wondering when to apply the approach you mentioned above and when to apply the Permutations formula.

I dont know why , but I was thinking for one letter, it's 26,Then for 2 same ones it would be 26^22 different ones would mean 26*25 * 2 (because a different order)3 same would be 26^3, and 3 different would be 26*25*24*3!....Where am I (obviously) double counting?

I dont know why , but I was thinking for one letter, it's 26,Then for 2 same ones it would be 26^22 different ones would mean 26*25 * 2 (because a different order)3 same would be 26^3, and 3 different would be 26*25*24*3!....Where am I (obviously) double counting?

How is 26^2 the number of two same letter words? How is 26^3 the number of three same letter words? Isn't both 26? AA, BB, CC, ..., ZZ and AAA, BBB, CCC, DDD, ..., ZZZ?

26^2 gives the number of ALL 2-letter words possible, the same way as 26^3 gives the number of ALL 3-letter words possible. _________________

I dont know why , but I was thinking for one letter, it's 26,Then for 2 same ones it would be 26^22 different ones would mean 26*25 * 2 (because a different order)3 same would be 26^3, and 3 different would be 26*25*24*3!....Where am I (obviously) double counting?

How is 26^2 the number of two same letter words? How is 26^3 the number of three same letter words? Isn't both 26? AA, BB, CC, ..., ZZ and AAA, BBB, CCC, DDD, ..., ZZZ?

26^2 gives the number of ALL 2-letter words possible, the same way as 26^3 gives the number of ALL 3-letter words possible.

A certain stock exchange designates each stock with a 1, 2, or 3 letter code, where each letter is selected from the 26 letters of the alphabet. If the letters may be repeated and if the same letters used in a different order constitute a different code, how many different stocks is it possible to uniquely designate with these codes?

a) 2,951b) 8,125c) 15,600d) 16,302e) 18,278

1 letter codes = 262 letter codes = 26^23 letter codes = 26^3

Total = 26 + 26^2 + 26^3

The problem we are faced now is how to get the answer quickly. Note that the units digit of 26+26^2+26^3 would be (6+6+6=18) 8. Only one answer choice has 8 as unit digit: E (18,278). So I believe, even not calculating 26+26^2+26^3, that answer is E.